


stay, my darling, and never leave

by great_reader121



Series: Merthur Week 2020 [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Did I mention angst, Hopeful Ending, Just checking, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Merthur Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28319775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/great_reader121/pseuds/great_reader121
Summary: They stood there, Merlin too scared to say anything, and Arthur simmering with betrayal and anger and above all, hurt."If-" Merlin's voice broke, he couldn't understand why Arthur was being socoldand emotionless."If you do love me, then- then I think you should know that- that I love you. Too. I love you.""Got any other lies to tell me?"Merthur Week 2020 Day 5: “Any other lies left to tell me?” + Angst
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthur Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067090
Comments: 2
Kudos: 142
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	stay, my darling, and never leave

**Author's Note:**

> helloooooOOOOOO  
> i'm in a bit of a weird headspace it is dead o clock in the night i need sleep and my phone is broken and the song i'm listening to is beautiful and the story i just wrote took me on a rollercoaster and hopefully will do the same for you  
> enjoyyyyyyyy

Merlin took a quick look around, and whispered a spell that led to his room warming up immediately. He closed his eyes and stretched out on his bed, basking in the new warmth of his room.

Behind him, partially hidden by Merlin's door, a horrified Arthur crept slowly away.

~~~

Merlin entered Arthur's room after he finished his chores for the day, like he had been doing for the past month. Arthur was standing at his window, and even in the half-darkness, Merlin could make out the line of tension in his shoulders.

"Arthur?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"

No answer.

"Arthur?" Merlin tried again. "Did something happen?"

Arthur turned around, and Merlin saw the raw _sadness_ in his eyes before it was wiped away by a cold, stone mask.

"Did something happen." Arthur chuckled humorlessly, and held out his fist. In it, he was clutching a ring. "My mother's," he said, and his voice was filled with heartbreak. "I was going to tell you I love you today, and give you this ring."

"You love me?" Merlin's voice was filled with hope. All this time, he thought his feelings were unrequited and that Arthur would never see him as anything but a servant, but Arthur was planning to tell him that he loved him?

Maybe he _was_ more than a servant to Arthur.

Arthur didn't reply.

"Arthur-" Merlin took a step forward, making to lay a hand on Arthur's arm.

Arthur _flinched_ away.

Merlin froze, hurt crossing his features.

They stood there, Merlin too scared to say anything, and Arthur simmering with betrayal and anger and above all, hurt.

"If-" Merlin's voice broke, he couldn't understand why Arthur was being so _cold_ and emotionless.

"If you do love me, then- then I think you should know that- that I love you. Too. I love you."

"Got any other lies to tell me?"

"I- what? No, I'm not lying. I _love_ you, Arthur, please, believe me." Merlin was in shock, because how could Arthur think that he didn't love him? Merlin would always love Arthur, no matter what. Surely Arthur had to know that?

Arthur scoffed. "I can't trust a word that comes out of your mouth, Merlin."

Merlin's heart shattered at the statement. "What? Why? Why not, what _happened_ , Arthur? What aren't you telling me?"

"I know," Arthur whispered. "I know about your magic." His voice was broken, like he was barely keeping it together, and Merlin ached to gather Arthur into his arms and wipe that terrible, broken expression of his face.

But he couldn't, because Merlin was breaking inside as well. Arthur _knew_. About his _magic_.

He staggered back, and the back of his knees hit Arthur's bed and Merlin collapsed on it. Arthur stood stone still, revealing no emotions.

"Why did you never tell me?" Arthur asked. His voice was tiny and insecure, like he was genuinely wondering why Merlin hadn't told him.

"I-" Merlin couldn't find his voice, because he had to know something first. "Are you going to kill me?"

Arthur's eyes widened almost comically. "What? No! How could you even think that, Merlin? I love you, obviously I'm not going to kill you!"

Merlin let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing and the lines on his forehead disappearing. He sunk into the bed, and began to cry.

Awkwardly, Arthur sat down next to Merlin and touched his back. He thought back to what Morgana would do to him when he was upset, and began to hum a song. It was off-tune, and Arthur kept pausing as he forget the melody, but the sentiment behind it was enough. Merlin's tears slowed down and after a minute, stopped completely.

"I'm sorry," he said, hiccuping. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_ -"

Arthur placed a hand on Merlin's knee; a light touch meant to comfort. "Are- are you feeling-"

Arthur couldn't think of a word, because he knew better than to ask if Merlin was _okay_.

Merlin nodded his head mutely. "Yeah."

Arthur removed his hand from Merlin's back, and the two men sat silently in the moonlight.

"I never told you because I didn't want to lose you," Merlin said. His voice was quiet, but it held determination. "I didn't want you to look at me different, like I was someone else entirely when I was still just Merlin."

Arthur didn't say anything.

"And I was scared," Merlin added. Arthur blinked, he hadn't expected Merlin to say that. "Scared? Whatever for?"

Merlin chuckled. "Sorcerers are- feared, to say the least, in Camelot. And a sorcerer killed your father. Sorcery harmed you and the ones you care about so much, I thought you would never be able to see the good side of it."

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Course I was! I was just going to introduce you to the _good_ parts of sorcery first."

Arthur sighed. "I was angry, at first. Angry that you didn't trust me, angry that you were a _sorcerer_ , and-" Arthur hesitated. "Angry at myself that I hadn't done more to win your trust."

Merlin opened his mouth, but Arthur held up a hand, looking every bit the king he was. "Wait," he said. "I want to say my part first."

Merlin nodded.

"Now, I'm- I'm- well, I don't know what I am. Or what I'm feeling. But I know one thing for certain. Two things, actually."Arthur looked Merlin right in the eye, unconsciously tightening his grip on Merlin's knee.

"One, if you have magic, then magic can't be all evil. Two, um, I still love you. You having magic doesn't change that, and it never would have. You will always be just you to me, Merlin."

Merlin let his tears spring back into his eyes.

Arthur smiled tiredly. "We can discuss your magic in detail later. I just want to sleep now."

Merlin nodded fervently. "Yes, of course. I'll go, and should I come tomorrow? Or maybe I shouldn't, maybe you need more space, maybe you won't want to see me for a few days, should I-"

Arthur cut off Merlin. "Stay," he whispered. "Please."

Merlin did, and he stayed for many nights after.

**Author's Note:**

> whew, what a ride! i hope you enjoyed reading it *hehe* as much i *enjoyed* writing it :D  
> visit me on my tumblr @i-love-books-and-so-do-you


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